


Now or Never

by Wavyscribe



Series: The Sun and Moon of Galar [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Humor, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Romance, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wavyscribe/pseuds/Wavyscribe
Summary: Raihan has known Leon for as long as he’d care to remember. He knows he shouldn’t ask for more, he knows some would give their everything just to stand at his place next to the reigning Champion of Galar. Even though he should be satisfied already, he can’t help fate taking its course.What he doesn’t realise is that, as much as he thinks he knows his rival, Leon had spent just as much time getting to know Raihan: The boy he’d recognised as his one true rival from the very start.Or:A few times of Leon having no concept of personal space and one time of Raihan not minding anymore.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Hop/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: The Sun and Moon of Galar [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2166570
Comments: 31
Kudos: 170





	1. One Midsummer Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!
> 
> I’m kinda late to the party but anyways, have some more fics!  
> As always, please tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

“It’s now or it’s never.”

Raihan opened his eyes, momentarily stunned at the voice still lingering in the warm afternoon air.

It hadn’t been long since he’d arrived to their... appointment, a bit too late because some kid decided 8 o’clock on a Friday was a good time to challenge his gym. He’d called a flying taxi, even considered just biking over himself because his pokemon were still exhausted from the fight.

He’d been worried. Worried what Leon might think of him when he never managed to arrive on time. But his worries all melted away with that one toothy smile Leon wore whenever he saw him. A smile that wasn’t on any League Cards or magazine covers. It was a private expression he’d wear when it was only the two of them, without any of the spotlights they’re bathed in constantly, lending sharp contrast to every step they took.

Leon showed only him and him alone. That simple fact had always been enough for him. More than enough even. Enough to fill his chest with warmth and his head with unspeakable words.

Today was no exception.

“Did you meet a Wailord on the way?”

The dark-haired had asked, voice dripping with unbridled concern.

Raihan took a few deep breaths, sweaty hands resting heavy on his knees. It seemed like the long hours he’d spent in the gym did more for his Instagram following than it did for his stamina.

“I’m sorry- I-, uh-”

He heaved, cheeks reddening even though he’d just sprinted here from the taxi stop nearby and should have been used to running far larger distances. Regularly. He didn’t look up, heated face aimed anywhere but at the man before him.

There was a rustle of clothes and then suffocating silence. Raihan felt his heart drop for a second. For as long as he’d known him, Leon had never been seriously mad at him. But still, he feared the day Leon no longer remained that naive boy from his childhood, with stars in his eyes and a dream burning in his heart. When he’d one day realize that, no matter how nice and platonic their friendship was, Raihan had started wanting things he couldn’t ask from his friend and rival. Not without losing something important and irredeemable in the process.

Just when the sweat on his back started running cold at the thought, he felt a cool bottle of juice pressing against his burning cheeks. The gym leader looked up in surprise, just to see the same warm smile painted across the Champion’s features, not at all losing in brightness against the Galar midsummer sun.

“Join me in the garden?”

And that’s how he ended up in his rival’s backyard on a Friday afternoon, resting his head against the other’s shoulder, silently bathing in each other’s company. Leon had always been the type to be touchy-feely with the ones he considered his friends and family. Even though Raihan always felt suspiciously out of breath when he was on the receiving end of Leon’s physical affection, he’d never once refused to reciprocate.

The low rumbling in the chest he was leaning against pulled him out of the haze he’d been drifting in. Leon’s penchant for cuddling had become so ever-present, Raihan didn’t even bat an eye these days. Still, the evenings had grown hotter with the summer months so nobody could fault the side of his face leaning against his friend for heating up uncomfortably.

He felt like Leon had been talking to him with how his eyes widened expectantly when he raised his to meet them. He also felt embarrassment over possibly missing something important rearing its ugly head, slowly creeping up from his nape. The gym leader raised one arm to awkwardly scratch at the back of his head. As if that was the sign his rival had been waiting for, Leon shot up from his seat. Raihan immediately felt his side turning cold. He reprimanded himself from leaving home so hurriedly after his last battle, not even bothering to take a jacket with him.

A thin trickle of sweat dripped from his eyebrows. For an instant, the world before him was bathed in a dazzling stained glass mosaic of colours before he reached up to wipe at his eyes.

“It’s now or it’s never, right?”

Leon smiled. Did his cheeks always form that lop-sided dimple whenever he did, Raihan wondered absent-mindedly.

“C’mon! Let’s have a battle! You decide the rules this time.”

And that, finally, is something Raihan can deal with. After all, a fight was just what he needed right now to clear his head and break through whatever it was that’s in the air tonight.

“Oh you’re on, Champion boy! Hope you haven’t lost your touch and become complacent at the top. I’ll make you regret taking me lightly!”

The gym leader laughed, his chest free and unburdened once more, already entering the strategic, well-oiled part of his mind solely dedicated to pursuing the thrill of battle.

“I’d never.”

Leon returned low, lips forming a small, somewhat nervous smile that was soon replaced by the blinding confidence he’d become famous for.

And in place of a boy that couldn’t have even tamed a single Wooloo in Raihan’s memory now stood a grown man, carrying the weight of the entire Galar region on his shoulders.


	2. Bittersweet Curry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Here‘s the second chapter of the story. Hopefully, I‘ll be able to balance chapter length for the remaining chapters.  
> If you like the story, please leave me a comment. Those really motivate me to keep writing and tell me how to improve as a writer :)
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

„Do you wanna go out?”

There it was again, that familiar, obnoxious smile Raihan could silently gaze at all day… If only… If only he could…

It took a second for the dark-haired to realize that they were the last two contestants still remaining in the men’s locker room. Meaning he had just been talked to. Meaning he had just been staring at someone waiting for an answer in awkward silence for what was rapidly nearing a minute. Raihan wished he could use Rock tomb on himself right now.

Wouldn’t it be nice if a hole just opened up right now and swallowed him up? Then he wouldn’t have to go out there today, pretending his heart still stood a chance after all these years.

Leon just smiled silently, whether in understanding or just in simple realization that his words hadn’t reached their intended recipient.

“I asked you if you wanted to go out. With me?”

Raihan did a double take, just narrowly missing his half-open locker door with his temple. That tone should be outlawed and its owner jailed.  
But just for a little bit. Just until he could catch his breath again.

The side of his knees hit the worn wooden bench producing an audible thud. The following sharp stab of pain brought with it a moment of embarrassed clarity.

The gym leader realized belatedly that he’d apparently forgotten how to breathe properly somewhere along the way. Maybe he really should consider quitting while he was still ahead. While he could still keep most of his basic bodily functions going whenever he stood close enough to catch a whiff of the aftershave his friend was wearing. Immediately, he put a mental stop to yet another one of his dangerous thoughts. Were they getting more frequent lately? Raihan couldn’t tell. He should really stop thinking.   
  
Anytime now.

The dark-haired wasn’t much of a quitter. He’d never been, ever since meeting the boy whose smile had haunted him since he could remember.

Leon must have sensed that something was amiss after a few seconds of stunned silence. His brows furrowed slightly and he started back-pedaling.

“There’s this amazing new curry place in town! It’s a branch store of their main location in Hulbury where I went with Nessa a while ago. You’d really like it, I promise!”

Leon stopped, awkward smile frozen halfway on his face. After a few heartbeats, he seemed to resolve himself and closed his locker door resolutely, taking a step back from the rows of lockers. A hand cautiously reached up for the flimsy doors hiding Raihan’s face behind them. The paint was already flaking off at the edges and corners but no matter how hard he tried, Leon had a feeling that it wasn’t a wall he could surmount today. Maybe not ever.

 _Nessa_. The familiar name of the blue-haired athlete echoed in the fellow gym leader‘s mind.

Of course Raihan would remember and _how_ he did. He remembered sitting at home after closing up the gym for the week, scrolling idly through his social feed. He remembered the pictures. Colourful snapshots of a life he wouldn’t dare hoping for, next to someone he couldn’t imagine standing to, not even in his wildest dreams.

So _that’s_ what he meant. He should’ve known sooner, really. Raihan felt the embers of hope burning out at the mention of the water gym leader, like someone pouring water over cotton candy.

What had he even been hoping for exactly? The dark-haired could not tell. His thoughts and daydreams flowed through his fingers like water, never to be retrieved again, ethereal like a midsummer night’s dream.

He bent forward, hiding his face in the patchy shadows the flimsy metal doors offered. He must have been tying his shoes for the fifth time now. After a deep breath, he mustered a strained half-smile and raised his eyes to peek at his rival.

Leon didn’t notice. He never did. Not now and not in the future.

The Champion wasn’t looking at him, instead fiddling with the fraying hem of a long faded shirt. Nessa gave him that for Christmas last year, he remembered clearly. Raihan gave him one too because he knew just how terrible Leon’s fashion sense could be. He even remembered laughing about that with Nessa who chose a shirt for the same reason. Sometimes he wished he’d taken a photo of Leon’s indignant pout.

Regardless of how he tried to convince himself otherwise, he never saw the champion wear his gift even once. Something deep in his gut curled up, uncomfortable and cold at the thought. He shouldn’t have missed breakfast this morning just to be on time for their exhibition match today. He really needed some warm food afterwards. Maybe.

He sighed deeply, carding his fingers through his messy hairstyle.

One day he’d win over him.

 _And what then?_ A tiny voice in Raihan’s head quipped unhelpfully.

They were rivals. And friends. Nothing more and nothing less. Never more and never less. Maybe one day his heart could accept what his brain had known as a fact for as long as he’d known his rival.  
  
But that day wasn’t today.

Probably not tomorrow either, he thought with a quick glance at the Champion’s silhouette reflected on the polished floor. His face was hidden partly in the shadows of his cap, unfathomable like the face of a Dynamaxed pokemon.

The gym leader shook out his shoulders, brushing imaginary lint off his shirt in the process. He stood abruptly, facing the door. What expression was the champion making under his cap? Raihan didn’t know whether he really wanted to find out.

A heartbeat later, he was already rocking back onto the heels of his shoes, practiced smile firm in place.

“Yeah, sounds great. Y’know I’d never say no to some good curry!”

He forced out another smile when the first one faded like a broken light bulb. Hopefully, it didn’t look as fake to Leon as it felt to him. With a half-turn he shut the door of his locker. He avoided looking at his rival and quickly jogged to the door connecting to the arena complex.

“The loser buys dinner today!”

The door swung shut on Raihan’s overly cheerful voice, cutting off the small smile tentatively inching its way onto Leon’s face. He’d taken off his worn cap, releasing a head of indomitable locks in its wake. Carefully, oh so carefully, the Champion twirled his hat in his hands, afraid to fray even a single fiber of the material.

Today was a good day, Leon thought before entering to a crowd of excited cheers and too bright spotlights.

Today was a good day.


	3. Honeymoon Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> Thanks for the encouraging kudos and comments! More of those please :)  
> As thanks, here’s the next instalment in the adventures of worrywart Raihan, enjoy!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

“So how’s the honeymoon?”

Sonia’s teasing voice sounded from the other end of the line. Raihan almost dropped his phone on his beet-red face in shock.

“The what- We’re not-”

“Oh _please_ , spare me the excuses” the assistant professor drawled, “I may have dedicated my life to the sciences but it’s not only pokemon I’m knowledgeable about.”

Raihan could picture her familiar scowl while she paused briefly for emphasis.

“And you know that.”

“We’re really not-“

“Your post yesterday.”

The dark-haired’s throat tightened. He took a breath to steady himself before answering with a tone he hoped sounded more confident than he felt.

“Yesterday?” 

A sense of unease settled uncomfortably, deep in his churning gut.

“What _about_ yesterday?”

He felt heat rising to his ears, painting his cheeks an embarrassing shade of rose.

“Don’t make me spell it out for you.”

He pictured her rolling her eyes.

”You might just regret forcing my hand.”   
She answered simply before the line went silent again.

The practiced words of denial he’d prepared got stuck in his throat, producing only an ineffective squeak in the end.

“Do you even _know_ how early it is? Be careful of what you say to me before I’ve had my caffeine.”

“I’m sorry...”

The gym leader mumbled sullenly, suddenly being reminded of a younger version of Sonia reprimanding him for his wrongdoings.  
  


He remembered missing his curfew once after getting too caught up discovering the pokemon residing in the small thicket behind their town. He also remembered how she had punched him in the stomach right after he sheepishly returned home that evening. She’d given him one scathing look that could’ve rivaled Gyarados’ Intimidate, then jumped right into his arms with enough force to throw them both headfirst into the soft carpet.

Then she’d left as suddenly as she had come. Raihan would’ve been left wondering whether what he saw was just an illusion if it wasn’t for the patch of wetness remaining on the front of his shirt.

He’d only seen Sonia smile before.

Needless to say, he’d made sure at least Sonia always knew where he had disappeared to every now and then when he left home for an extended period.

“I’m gonna hang up and go back to sleep if you don’t answer in the next 5 seconds, Raihan Roy Kibana. I am _not_ kidding.”

The gym leader stiffened, guilty like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

He sighed heavily and began talking.

~*~

  
Of _course_ he remembered yesterday. Conversely, the problem was that he couldn’t _forget_ what had happened yesterday.

Everything had started out fine. He’d been trying to let down a few over-eager challengers to his gym lightly, laughing when they had asked him to sign his league card. Out of some cosmic good mood that day he’d even offered to take some exclusive selfies with a petite girl that had turned bright red when he’d asked her name.

It was all in good fun.  
  
Raihan found her antics very cute when she’d kept looking back at him and waving enthusiastically. She reminded him of his former starry-eyed self. It was challengers like her that made him happy to have decided to become a gym leader. He didn’t even mind occasionally losing a couple of times if it meant that he could help challengers like her rediscover their confidence and passion.

He’d still been smiling and waving at the retreating silhouette when the next thing he knew someone grabbed his hands and forcefully pulled him aside. The dark-haired had readied his pokeballs before his back hit the wall behind him and his eyes could focus on the person still holding on to his hand.  
He blinked a few times before his eyes got used to the dim light of the alleyway he found himself in. 

Raihan didn’t even _know_ there were any suspicious, dim alleyways around his gym.

His stance visibly relaxed when he saw his friend and rival standing before him, adjusting his cap sheepishly. Good thing he hadn’t yet rained rightful judgement on his assailant.

“Did I interrupt something?”

The gym leader stared blankly at the Champion who had now turned to abusing the hem of his ridiculous cape. His familiar face was shrouded in the darkness of the alleyway, mysterious and alluring as the dark side of the moon. He’d almost be taken by the image of the unattainable Champion if he hadn’t known him as well as he did. The dark red flush of his cheeks betrayed some of his nervousness.   
Yet fall he still did, not to the Champion but to a cheeky boy with stars in his eyes, burning bright and strong.

Raihan couldn’t help a smile forming on his lips.

“I was just sending off Gloria. Nice kid really. She’s almost there but wasn’t quite in her top condition today. I still managed to narrowly eke out a win today but it was only by a small margin. Next time I probably won’t be as lucky again, though.”

He moved closer to Leon under the cover of twilight, almost touching his nose to his rival’s ear. 

“She might even take your position one of these day, Champion boy.”

A hand landed on his shoulder heavily. He turned his head to look at it in the thickening darkness.

The streetlights should switch on any second now. Raihan didn’t move.

“Not if you become Champion this year.”

The gym leader halted, then raised his head to look at the reigning Champion speaking before him. Leon was wearing a sour look, eyes hidden in the deep shadows of his cap. Raihan smiled and raised a hand to re-adjust Leon’s cap.

“I haven’t won against you a single time though, as much as admitting that hurts my pride.”

“You will.”

Leon looked away. The streetlights sprang to life, casting their warm glow on the two lonesome silhouettes occupying the small side street.

“How can you be so sure?”

The champion suddenly turned his gaze back to rest squarely on Raihan’s surprised features.

“I see you.”

“Every time you’ve lost against me, you train to be better,” He continued. “And every time, without fail, you come back stronger to challenge me.”

“You’re the reason I was able to keep going, to keep on growing, myself. You’re the reason I’ve stayed at the top all this time until now, Raihan. Waiting for you.”

His voice softened when mouthing the name of his friend, as if savoring a fine wine.

“You’re better than anyone I know. And one day,” He paused, peering into Raihan’s eyes, searching. “One day, I’ll make sure everyone sees what I’ve always seen in you. The strength, the passion and the perseverance.”

“I want you to know that.”

Raihan felt his hand still locked into Leon’s like a lifeline quivering.

He stayed silent for a few heartbeats that seemed to stretch into infinity before gathering himself. His thoughts felt both so vast that his heart might overflow and so numerous he couldn’t put them into proper words.

“Leon, I-“

Before he had the opportunity to put his muddled heart into words he felt Leon pulling on their still joined hands.

In just a few steps they had walked out into the main street, instantly bathed in the harsh light cast down from the lanterns overhead. Raihan felt reminded of the first time he had stepped onto a stage, heart filled with the same ambiguous nervousness.

Maybe it was finally time for him to take another step.

“Leon, I-“

“Raihan, I-“

They both began at the same time, then smiled at each other sheepishly. After a while of nervous silence, Raihan motioned at the dark-haired to speak first. The champion smiled broadly before turning to rummage through his bag, finally pulling out two colorful pieces of paper.

“I’ve been invited to the opening ceremony of this new beach side resort turned battle tower in Alola for an exhibition match! They asked me to also extend the invitation to you. The strongest champion and the strongest gym leader from Galar, y’know, that kinda deal.”

The gym leader blinked a few times, stunned into silence.

“They wanted me too?”

Leon’s happy look turned incredulous.

“ _Of course_ they’d want you. You are THE Raihan, dragon trainer extraordinaire, master of the weather. Why wouldn’t _anyone_ want you?”

The dragon trainer in question felt his cheeks turn pink. He hoped to god his tan still covered it up.

“Flattery isn’t going to get you anywhere, y’know?”

“But it’s a yes?”

Raihan could vividly picture the 1000 watt eyes Leon must be making at him right now without even looking. Just by his cocky tone, a familiar smirk appeared before his inner eye. He felt his heart go soft.

Silently, he reached up to pluck one of the crumpled tickets out of the champion’s fingers and walked into the vague direction of the gym. He stopped and turned around when he noticed the absence of footsteps following behind.

“You coming? We need to pack some thinner clothes. I heard Alola’s pretty warm this time of year.”

As if something finally clicked in his mind, Leon’s eyes lit up and he ran up to the dragon trainer, metaphoric tail wagging excitedly.

“Whoo yeah! I wonder how Alolan room service is like! I heard they fill their beds with water over there! I can’t wait to sleep on them!”

Raihan’s hand that had been gently patting his over-excited rival’s back stalled suddenly.

They were staying overnight?

Oh god take him now.

~*~

For how hard he had struggled initially against sitting on Leon’s Charizard for the flight, (No, the problem wasn’t the _ride_ , it was the _pilot_ ) he fell asleep quickly, before they even left Galar air space. Leon had convinced him that his pokemon were already far too exhausted by the uncountable challengers they had faced this week to be able to fly internationally but it seemed the pokemon trainer in question had been at least as worn out himself.

Leon smiled, free hand smoothing cautiously over Raihan’s windswept hair. The smooth strands slipped through his fingers, almost like flowing water. He must have touched some wrong button in the process because soon after, a series of high-pitched beeps entered his ears followed soon after by an over-excited Rotom phone.

The dark-haired fussed with the flying, flashing piece of technology, scared the noise might wake up the man still remaining sound asleep in his lap. After a while, the phone finally calmed down, gingerly slowing down to rest lightly on his outstretched hand. With a glance at Raihan’s still sleeping form Leon let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

He looked at the screen, colorful light illuminating a few clouds drifting by next to his Charizard. It seemed the phone had been replicating its owner’s favourite past-time of taking endless series of near magazine-ready selfies while Leon had been having silent heart attacks.

Looking closer, he almost didn’t recognize the champion on the screen, head tilted slightly to shield the sleeping man resting in his lap from the harsh winds. Leon double-clicked on the photo in an attempt to zoom in. Instead, a whooshing sound rang through the silence of the night sky. The phone screen turned black.

It must have ran out of battery, Leon thought to himself.

He’d just ask Raihan to send the picture to his phone next time they had an opportunity to recharge it.

The dark-haired carefully slid the phone back into his friend’s pocket and directed his gaze towards the sun slowly setting on the horizon.

He was kind of excited to see an Alolan Exeggutor in the flesh.

Hopefully, Raihan was too.

~*~

“So Leon posted a cute couple pic on your Instagram by accident? Tell me again why you’re having an existential crisis over that?”

Sonia’s dry voice came out of his phone, the traitor.

”No wait, on second thought I don’t think I’m ready for your teeny drama.” Sonia sipped at her cup of coffee. 

“Especially not this early in the morning.”

Raihan didn’t pout.   
But he sure came close to it, even though he was sure Sonia couldn’t see him through the screen with a literal ocean between them. 

You never knew, though. Women were scary creatures sometimes. Didn’t hurt to be sure.

With some difficulty, the gym leader forced the indignation off his face.

“I am _not_ having an existential crisis.”

“And _I_ am not even gonna dignify that with an response. Either you tell me now or you keep silent forever.”

“It’s just-, I’m-“

He heard the flushing of a toilet mere seconds before he dove back into bed, faking sleep. His phone was stuck haphazardly somewhere into the messy sheets.

The room fell silent again.

“Good luck.” Sonia whispered into the now dead line with a knowing smile. She looked out the window at the rising morning sun, loosely cradling a now empty coffee mug.

“Go get ‘em, tiger.”


	4. Insomnia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Here’s another chapter! If you have any suggestions or thought, please do consider leaving a comment or two! :)
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

The first thing Raihan recalled was a sense of unprecedented, almost heavenly comfort. He felt like he was wrapped in clouds, skin lightly warmed by the gentle sun. Plus, it smelled good.

Still half-asleep, he tried to turn around in order to move closer to the source radiating heat but found that he couldn’t. A sliver of cold suspicion entered his sleep-addled mind.

Something wasn’t right here.

The gym leader struggled hard to pull his consciousness from the arguably more enticing prospect of throwing caution to the wind and going back to sleep. All the while, more and more memories of the past day willfully pushed themselves into the forefront of his mind.

~*~

It was late when they’d arrived in Alola. They were both tired from the long journey and Raihan for one would’ve given anything for a nice shower to wash off the sticky residue the salty sea air had left on his skin and hair.

Imagine his unbridled shock when he received their room key from the front desk lady.

Their room key, as in _there was only one room key_. As in, Raihan was going to camp out under the stars tonight if that’s what it takes to retain his precarious hold on what was left of his sanity.

Leon had just turned bright red, muttering about how he’d be more careful with the reservations next time, even going so far as to offer him the bed while he’d sleep on the sofa.  
Raihan couldn’t honestly stay mad at him, he never stood a chance against the champion’s kicked puppy dog eyes.

Because they came in late into the tourist season, the hotel was already fully booked and Raihan really didn’t want to comb through the local hotels at this ungodly hour for any more vacant rooms. Not to mention the exhibition matches they had scheduled tomorrow.

The dark-haired sighed while carding a hand through his hair, sticky and gross due to the salty sea air, and finally came to a decision. He silently grit his teeth and cast a polite smile towards the reception lady’s general vicinity, then marched his duffle bag to the nearest elevator. Leon followed suit, obediently like the puppy dog he was.

“Let’s have a look at the room first. Maybe it isn’t as bad as we thought.”

Leon put a hand on his shoulder, massaging absent-mindedly in calming circles. He squinted his eyes at the room card, then pressed a button on the elevator panel.

With a metallic ding the doors opened, revealing an interior clad in mirrors. Raihan moved his gaze away from his own stunned reflection. At least nobody knew them over here.

Before he could finish the thought, however, the elevator doors fully opened. A smaller figure rushed out at the same time he made to enter. An audible sound of distress echoed through the hall.

“Gloria?”

The figure gazed up. At the sight of his familiar face, her tense shoulders loosened up.

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you still in the middle of the gym challenge back in Galar?”

”The champion is still waiting for you to whoop his butt.”

He gestured behind him where Leon stiffened from being suddenly named. Once his eyes landed on the brunette before them, his eyes narrowed slightly and he stepped forward, partly shadowing Raihan behind him.

“Name’s Leon, nice to meet you.”

The champion said, voice kept low, echoing complicated undertones Raihan couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Gloria looked back and forth between them before, eventually, something lit up in her eyes. She blushed a dusty pink.

“Oh wow, I didn’t think-, I mean I knew- because Sonia told-“

She immediately covered her mouth with a free hand as if trying to stuff her words back where they came from.

“Congratulations!”

She forced out, eyes twinkling, then bowed lightly to the both of them before whirling off into the direction of the main reception hall. Raihan wondered if he’d just imagined her strangely burning gaze directed at Leon’s hand that had long since left his shoulder in favour of his hand somewhere along the line. The gym leader’s face started heating up, remaining feverish even when the doors had slid shut after Leon had pulled them into the mirrored space.

The dark-haired found that there was nowhere he could look where their hands, still tightly conjoined, wouldn’t jump into sharp focus, sending his poor heart into overdrive.  
It seemed, everyday spent with the champion brought with it to date unknown means of psychological torture.

But why was he enjoying every second of that familiar tingling in his gut?

After a short ascent, they arrived at the floor the reception lady had pointed out to them. Now, it was to look at their room and assess the damage.

The electronic lock gave a low beep after they held their Alolan Meowth themed room card to it. Raihan held his breath while Leon ventured into the dark room, searching for the slot to input their key card in order to restore light to the darkness.

With a soft click, light flooded their eyes, momentarily blinding the two men. When his eyes adjusted eventually, Raihan realized he’d much rather have stayed in the darkness.

He’d been right. The room wasn’t nearly as bad as they’d thought.

No, it was _way_ worse.

The trainers took in the heart-shaped twin bed covered in luvdisc-themed satin sheets, a pink basket filled to the brim with unspeakable items and the faint scent of roses ladening down the already awkward atmosphere.

Leon swallowed dryly and turned around on the spot, cheeks slowly colouring to match the bed sheets.

“I’ll go ask for a room change.”

He forced out, tone curt and strained.

“Wait.”

The gym leader pulled the dark-haired back by their still joined hands.

“I’m tired.”

“You can stay here and rest up, I’ll just go-“

“I said I’m tired. We both have important matches tomorrow. It’s no use to go look for any more vacant rooms. Let’s just make do for tonight, alright?”

The champion, having lost any and all traces of his usual eloquence, just stupidly nodded his head, then watched Raihan drop his duffle bag next to the bed and enter the bathroom.

He heard the faucet starting up and the sound of him moving about the small en-suite bathroom. A few minutes later, Raihan came out, having taken a quick shower and washed off the grime of the day. He stopped in the middle of the room.

The gym leader motioned to the bathroom awkwardly. Leon took the hint and got up from where he was perched at the very edge of the pompously made up bed. Raihan suppressed a smile tugging at his lips at the sight of his awkward mannerisms.

A few seconds after, he heard the shower start up.

~*~

That was where his memories ended.

His mind short circuited at the feeling of what he now knew to be arms circled securely across hus chest and waist. And if he hadn’t spontaneously turned into a human Machamp over night, he knew just who that particular set of arms belonged to.

Cautiously, without opening his eyes and ripping the fabric of wishful thinking in the process, he squirmed in Leon’s tight embrace. His face must have mirrored a Octillery when his prison finally loosened. Finally, letting out a suppressed sigh, he managed to shove Leon back onto the other half of the bed.

Now free at last, he suddenly felt inexplicably cold and at a loss. 

Raihan gathered all his feelings of uncertainty and forcefully put a lid on them.

Now wasn’t the time to deal with those. Raihan found himself hoping that the right time would never need to come.

Before he could work himself into another frenzy he heard a rustling of clothes and a few unintelligible mumbles. A pair of lips pressed against his temple and he felt his entire being stiffening at the contact.

Did he just...?

As suddenly as it came, the sensation left his heated skin again. Raihan had do fight his instinct to reach up and touch the invisible, burning mark Leon had left in favour of staying still and faking sleep. His heartbeat thundered loud enough to be heard all the way back in Galar.

He just hoped Leon wouldn’t...

The gym leader stopped in his track. Leon was the entire _cause_ of this, he-...

Another few seconds of rustling had Raihan break out in cold sweat, dreading and anticipating what would come, when...

The bathroom lock clicked in place. All that remained when Raihan opened his eyes was the patch of warmth his rival had occupied last night.

The gym leader felt his head spin. What did this all mean? Why was Leon acting so different? Was he still dreaming?

Raihan could almost feel the smoke coming off his burning brain. So he did what he’d always done when the world didn’t make sense anymore.

He used a lifeline and phoned a friend.


	5. Love is in the air

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!
> 
> Originally, this small story was supposed to span 5 small chapters but I’ve decided to split the conclusion into two smaller parts to accommodate a better flow.  
> I hope you like it! Comments and kudos are always welcome!
> 
> Stay tuned for the conclusion to Raihan’s love troubles!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

Individuality is a curious thing.

Any zebra out of the herd and every Dalmatian of the litter has their very own pattern and no two would ever be the same. However, individuality had never been a gift on its own merits. It doesn’t mean you’ll be the one to emerge out of the crowd just because you’re uniquely you. Because everyone is uniquely different just as much as you are.

Everyone is special in their own mundane way. At the same time, no one has any more of a claim to speciality than anyone else does. Your brand of individuality is just another pattern of grey in a black and white world that can only be called ordinary.

But Leon was different. He was like the sun Raihan could’ve been but didn’t dare become.

Raihan had always been just a bit more hard-working, just a bit more intelligent than the other children his age. But despite that, he wasn’t arrogant. On the contrary, it was those small moments of realisation whenever he finished faster in a race or understood some subjects easier than his peers when he felt humbled.

From a young age on he’d understood instinctively not to stand out in a crowd. It was safe being special as long as he wasn’t anymore special than the people he called his friends. As long as his light didn’t outshine anybody else’s, there would always be a place in the shade for him.

Raihan didn’t quite understood whether the golden cage he entered of his own volition gave him a feeling more akin to safety rather than captivity. Maybe it was actually some twisted mixture of them. Raihan couldn’t tell.

But he felt content. He thought he felt satisfied having friends by his side. He was too afraid to lose the castle of glass he had built for himself to even dare think of change. He was afraid people would close their eyes and hearts if he were to illuminate the shadows he had kept wrapped around himself for so long already.

But Leon changed all that.

He was bright. Almost too bright to behold directly. He stared - of course he would - at an existence he had thought impossible. And when he finally realised one day, Raihan found that he couldn’t move his eyes away from his radiant back anymore. And still, not only were the people around Leon staying, you could even say that everyone, including him, was inexplicably drawn ever further towards him, like moths to the light.

Icarus had once broken his wings flying towards the sun and Raihan found that, suddenly, he understood how he must have felt that moment. The shadows he had always called his home weren’t enough to contain the burning wildfire Leon had lit in his heart. Rather than let his wings crumble away in a prison of his own making, he’d rather give it a try with all his might and fly towards the very sun.

That was also why he had never thought to challenge another region even though he had more than enough strength and talent to give any champion a run for their money. It was meaningless if he didn’t burn bright enough to challenge the sun in his heart, even if that meant he had to ignite his soul for just a single spark.

That was his conviction.

Leon had lit his way out of the darkness and Raihan wasn’t going to let him down. The shadows weren’t enough to contain his ambitions.

  
They never stood a chance.

~*~

“I saw your match.”

Raihan startled when a towel appeared before his eyes. He was crouched down, rummaging in his gym bag after his exhibition match finished a while ago. As the Champion Leon would be busy with official photos and interviews for the rest of the day. The gym leader had just had his own share of the treacherous flashing lights this morning. He still shuddered at the thought of the journalists pouncing at him like sharks.

When he looked up after a second he saw a head of familiar dark locks framing a lop-sided grin.

“Hop? I thought-“

“I didn’t come for Leon if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Raihan reached out to take the towel from Hop’s loose grasp. He quickly wiped the sweat off his brows before hanging the towel around his neck.

Hop stood straight, clouded eyes looking off into the distance with a somewhat unfathomable look. Raihan did not remember having seen an expression quite like that on his ever-cheerful face before.

With a start, he noticed that Hop had long since grown from the starry-eyed little kid haphazardly following in the huge steps of his older brother. Everyone was constantly changing, constantly looking forward, directly at what tomorrow will bring. Without any excuses. Without any fear. Just burning expectation in their heart.

For the first time, Raihan felt that he was treading water against a raging stream of whitewater. Even if he tried to stay in place the rapid currents were pushing him back.

For an instance, he was no longer the strongest gym leader representing Galar’s draconic history. No longer was he the Champion’s rival silently sharing his burden of the nation’s expectations.

He had always been that thick-headed kid trying to hold the sun in his hands. That alone didn’t change. It didn’t need to.

Because that’s who Raihan was. Along with all the responsibilities he shouldered.

A breeze blew by, softly playing with a few loose strands of his hair. Raihan looked at the boy in front of him and saw the shadow of his past self fade away. The doubt in his mind melted like the last snow in spring. Hadn’t he long since made peace with his fears? He chuckled.

Hop seemed to finally arrive at a conclusion himself and directed his gaze back towards Raihan, determination setting in his eyes.

“Are you busy now? Can we talk?”

Hop turned to him fully, biting his lower lip uneasily. His eyes seemed lost in the search for something that couldn’t be found. Raihan smiled softly, feeling a knot dissolving in his heart. These brothers really were something special.

He raised a hand to ruffle Hop’s dark hair, leaving him with a slightly dumb-founded look. The gym trainer laughed.

“C’mon let’s get something to drink.”

Leon and Hop had always been close growing up. Hop idolised the Champion and kept measuring himself against the brother he had painted as his ultimate goal. However, it wasn’t in quite the way Raihan butted heads with Leon as rivals, equal in ambition.

Raihan knew that Hop had been covering up his perceived inferiority under forced cheer and false courage. Raihan knew because he had been through the same thing once, trying his darnedest to fit in.

Because of Hop’s struggles he had always only been cheerful, sharing all his praise and love but hesitating to share his troubles and worries with his older brother, even when Leon would never think anything less of him for it. Hop knew. Just like Raihan knew how Leon had never looked at him as less than an equal.

But some days the gym leader still wondered, still unsure of himself. And that was also why he hadn’t tried to take a step forward all this time, afraid he may lose everything. He should’ve known better, having been saved by Leon’s kindness time and time again.

Hop stirred listlessly in his colourful drink. Raihan looked down at his own he had ordered without looking too closely at the menu card. He wondered idly if his pokemon would start evolving if he held them up to it. It sure looked radioactive enough.

“So, uhm... I think I messed up.”

Raihan continued silently listening, gaze soft and encouraging. He nodded with a small smile signifying that he was listening but not interrupting Hop’s cautious words. The trainer’s eyes flitted back and forth between him and the windows showing a sunny view of the Alolan beach, before settling on his unclenching fingers.

“I lost against Bede a few days ago and Gloria suggested a change of scenery to get me out of my ‘mood’.”

The gym leader chuckled at his exaggerated air quotes.

“Not that I’m in one.”

He added hurriedly, peeking at him with a slight pout. Raihan just raised a finger to poke at his puffed out cheek. Hop visibly deflated.

“Okay, maybe just a bit. But she shouldn’t have-...!”

The gym leader had a rough inkling what the stuttering mess in front of him was racking his brain about. He chuckled again, the sound ringing out clearly in the cafe.

“You like her.”

He said more as a statement than a question.

Hop blushed a deep red and looked away. After a long time he gave an almost imperceptible nod, cheeks matching the vibrancy of his untouched drink.

“Then that’s your answer, isn’t it?”

Something flashed by in Hop’s eyes and he suddenly sat up straight. The brothers had a habit of abandoning all rational thought when things grew too complicated. And sometimes that was just the right solution for them. Raihan just gave him a nudge into the direction he would’ve found himself, in time.

“Thanks!”

The trainer jumped onto his feet and circled the small table to give Raihan a one-armed hug.

“I just knew you were the right one to ask, what with you and Leon being...-“

A tacky ringtone sounded from Hop’s pocket, interrupting Hop. His cheeks lost some of their colour when he saw who was calling him. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. With a look at Raihan’s encouraging smile the gym challenger steeled himself mentally.

Then he was off, phone in hand and a slight skip in his step.  
  


The gyn leader smiled softly at the retreating silhouette before debating with himself whether to give the “Alolan rainbow” a try.

~*~

It was not until Raihan returned home late that night that he remembered Hop’s last words. Leon had to stay longer for some talks about the planned return visit from the Alolan representatives so he had flown back on his pokemon that were fully rested after a day of their trainer dodging blood-thirsty journalists.

What exactly did Hop think he was to Leon...?

Call it a trainer’s intuition but he felt instinctively that something was very different between Hop’s elated tone and his own view on things.

Raihan took a shuddering breath. Maybe it was finally time to come clean with his rival.

After all, it was now or never.


	6. Falling star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!
> 
> So like, yeah, remember how I said that this will be the last chapter?  
> Well, I lied. There’s this chinese proverb about how planning always falls short of change, so yeah, excuses.  
> Rather than me writing this on a time plan, it’s more like this fanfic just occasionally jumps me in a dark alley-way and goes through my pockets for loose dialogue.
> 
> I think there’ll be one more chapter (and maybe an epilogue if people wanna read that) coming, but I have learned my lesson and will promise nothing.
> 
> Hope you’ll enjoy the chapter and leave kudos and comments to keep my motivation up!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

It didn’t even rain on the historic day the long-reigning Champion was finally dethroned.

Amongst the sonorous cheer and excited shouts inundating the stadium that was filled to the brim with waves upon waves of onlookers and fans, a single figure stood silently, his back straight as ever. His face was hidden in the deep shadows of his worn cap, creating stark contrast against his colorful uniform bathed in blinding spotlights.

Just when the cameras panned in to lift whatever small piece of privacy the veil of darkness still struggled to preserve, a familiar smile shone out from the shadows.

The old king was no more.

The crowd saluted before the new light of Galar.

~*~

It was like they described in those historical documentaries Leon sometimes forced him to watch with him. Witnesses always tended to remember exactly what they were doing at the time the news broke, no matter how inconsequential. Raihan used to laugh at that quirk of human nature.

But no smile graced his lips today.

Raihan clearly remembered how he had poured himself a cup of steaming tea in the participants’ waiting room when the wall-mounted screen exploded in a myriad of colors. A rainbow of flashing signs simultaneously signifying the fall of the old sun and the rise of a new beacon of light lit up across the broadcast.

He remembered sipping at the steaming cup but tasting nothing. Even as his lips burned, the burning in his heart over-shadowed any physical sensation.

With a indescribable feeling of loss he turned to look in the direction the arena laid in before him. Even though he couldn’t see through the stark white walls, even though he couldn’t stand next to his most important person at this moment, he instinctively felt the gravity of the event. History was being written, echoing off the surging crowd drowning the world in noise and applause.

But all Raihan could think about was the expression Leon was making now. Would it be one of pain? Did he feel even a tiny bit of the mysterious spark of elation lighting the gym leader’s heart?

What was the title of Champion to Leon? A responsibility to fill, a burden to carry? A flame to stoke, a hope to spread?

Raihan found that he didn’t actually understand the inner workings of the person he’d known as a friend, a rival and... something more, since time memorable.

The cameras had long since panned towards the star of tonight, the new light to illuminate the future of Galar. Gloria’s smile was surely more than bright enough to capture the eyes and hearts of any onlooker. Raihan realized guiltily that he’d rather the cameras focussed on a special someone else right now.

The gym leader struggled to suppress his swelling urge to push through the flimsy door separating him from the arena. He knew better than to rush in right now under the harsh light the eyes of thousands cast on the arena. Not just the live audience were judging the events of tonight. Maybe a thousand more, perhaps a million more through the screens of their phones, computers and television sets were following along with bated breath.

With a slightly shaky hand he zipped up his gym bag. The dark-haired left the waiting room without casting a single look back at the former Champion.

Leon stood in place, wearing a forlorn expression, eyes narrowed as if desperately searching for the lifeline to pull him back ashore. His eyes turned visibly overcast when they couldn’t find purchase on the shifting faces of the crowd. The faces of the other participants slowly fogged up with a thick mist solely reserved for Leon’s eyes.

He reached up to wipe at his eyes.

Raihan had left.

~*~

A few days passed in a flash of Raihan busying himself with the usual inanities of everyday, numbing himself in the never-ending stream of daily tasks. He didn’t give himself a single second to think, to worry, to stop moving so he didn’t have to doubt, to second-guess, to start moving forward.

It was a short text message that ended their days of suspense.

Even though they were in the same place, he didn’t dare looking for Leon’s silhouette in the crowd. Even though they were spending the same time, he didn’t dare to read the newspaper piling up by the door.

Even though he knew from brief, stolen glances that the news had died down pretty quickly after the night of the championship. He couldn’t bear the thought of the change that evening had brought to the world, to Galar, to Leon.

“Are we still on for curry?”

Raihan glanced up just in time to see today’s issue of the Galar Daily slipping through the mail slot. The front page showed the “ **New Champion linking arms with mysterious boy in secret outing** ” in big gaudy letters. He didn’t even remember subscribing to this magazine.

Nevertheless, the gym leader couldn’t help a small, but genuine smile slipping through his mask. At least the stuttering idiot had found his happy ending.

Maybe it was time he struggled for his own, too.

He unlocked his Rotom phone and posted a few of his selfies he had taken this morning during breakfast. Then he made to reply to Leon’s text.

“Where?”

“My family’s place at six?”

“I’ll be there.”

When he exited the short conversation to scroll through his social media he found that his selfies had already received quite some attention.

Leon had liked them. Raihan kept scrolling.

He had liked every single one he posted.

Raihan felt his cheeks heat up.

~*~

It was just past 6 when Raihan arrived at Leon’s family home. He realized in passing that he hadn’t been here for a long time. It was a mystery even to the gym leader, how he kept busy these days when his gym had the lowest challenger count just after the championship every year.

He raised a hand to knock, heart thundering against his chest even though he’d flown over on his well-rested Flygon and stepped off him right onto the porch. There was no logical reason for him to be this out of breath.

Maybe he should change his workout regime to account more for his apparently severely lacking stamina rather than pure instagram aesthetics.

The door opened before his knuckles met the smooth polished wooden surface. Raihan froze in his tracks.

“Gloria? Why are you...?”

A thousand possible scenarios flashed through his mind - most of them more than disquieting - before another familiar voice rang out from behind the new Champion.

“Hop brought his girlfriend. I hope you... don’t mind?”

Raihan looked past a flushed Gloria to see Leon leaning awkwardly against the doorframe of the living room, a hand raised up to scratch at the back of his head. The gym leader felt his pulse return to a steady beat.

He looked better than Raihan had painted him as in his early hours of restless sleep. A tender smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

After a round of congratulations which ended with both Hop and Gloria turning a ripe shade of tomato, they sat down in the living room. Hop mumbled something about how he’d never been that mean when Leon’d visited with Raihan in tow but quickly shut up when Gloria started directing his attention to the new training regimens she developed for her pokemon.

Raihan was momentarily perplexed at Hop’s reproachful tone.

Leon also brought his other friends home for dinner sometimes, didn’t he? Their last Christmas party was also hosted by Leon’s family after all.

Raihan didn’t have more time to spend on pondering about the situation when Leon’s Mom came into the room. Still, the inexplicable feeling of disparity settled uncomfortably in his chest. He mentally gave himself a kick, now wasn’t the time for this. 

“Dinner’s ready!”

She smiled, lifting a steaming pot that emitted a heavenly smell of curry.

Everyone’s stomachs gave a well-timed grumble.

“And just in time, I see.”

She chuckled before turning to head to the dining table with a line of hungry ducklings trailing after her.

Dinner started in a noisy scramble for forks and spoons.

~*~

“I thought I’d have a long time to go until I’d see the faces of my grandkids, you know. Hop’s always been somewhat of a late bloomer, you see.”

The early evening just before sunset found Raihan relaxing on the wooden bench he’d often share with Leon in their backyard. Without him noticing, Leon’s Mom had sat down next to him, eyes settling somewhere along the horizon.

The gym leader turned to her, a puzzled look to his face. Even though he himself had attained a sizable fandom of his own, he wasn’t blind to the fact that Leon had always been more than welcome of female attention.

He had once thought that it wouldn’t take long before Leon’d find himself a suitable, strong and kind girl to say his vows to before long. He’d even resigned himself to giving the inevitable best man’s speech about how fitting of a pair they would make, all the while silently nursing his bleeding heart.

But reality didn’t follow what he’d convinced himself would become unavoidable fact in the near future. Leon kept rising in popularity but never had he changed, never had he even been fully aware of the effect a single smile of his had on all the eligible ladies just short of throwing themselves at him.

Raihan had secretly felt relieved. Relieved at the fact that Leon was and stayed a pokemon fanatic to the bone, never deviating from his grand path of ambition and success.

Imagine his surprise when the very same Leon, blind to his overarching influence on social media, changed his status to “in a relationship” just a few months ago. Raihan remembered how his heart dropped straight into the pits of hell with guilt and a strange sense of catharsis. The day he’d hoped would never come was finally upon him and the realization that it had indeed silently sneaked up on him left him numb and cold.

The internet had blown up over-night, trying to figure out the identity of the mysterious lover. Finally, a person had risen up to claim the heart of the Champion whose mind was filled to the frayed ends of his cap with intricate training regimens for his pokemon. That was no ordinary feat at all. People were falling over themselves to find out who that special someone, no doubt a champion in their own right, was.

Steeling his heart, he’d gone out to visit Leon the very next day. Whether it was simply out of a cruel sense of self-destruction or with genuine feelings of congratulation, he hadn’t even known himself.

Leon had been beyond flustered when he’d confronted him on the topic, stuttering about incoherently, all the while avoiding eye contact. Raihan had never seen him acting in quite this way: the confident Champion commanding absolute authority on the arena grounds reduced to a blushing mess in the face of budding romance. He’d felt something dark and ugly rising up inside of him for never having a chance at being the target of his affections. Not now and not ever again.

Raihan sighed silently at the invasive thought. He didn’t use to be this negative and downtrodden before. The gym leader gave a silent sigh. 

Even though Leon had always treated his close friends like extended family, Raihan soon found that the role of the Champion’s best friend had grown too restrictive, the terms of the relationship not enough for him anymore. Maybe it had never actually been. But he had to convince his mind and his heart that he’d be able to learn how to control himself. If not for Leon’s than for his own sake. He soon realised with a start that, at some point, he was no longer able to imagine a life without the dark-haired in it.

Finally, Leon had sheepishly handed his phone to Raihan, opened on the settings page of his official social account. The dark-haired had looked between the screen and the Champion’s fiery cheeks, dumbfounded. Then he realized suddenly.

A few days ago Leon had complained to him about his PR team forcing him to “widen his social presence” to “capture and interact with a broader audience”. He’d complained about all the busywork management had piled up onto him, even though he could’ve spent the time much _much_ better, building new attack strategies for his future matches.

“They don’t even let me write my _own profile_.”

Raihan had just smiled and listened silently to Leon’s waves of complaints.

Remembering the conversation, he finally felt the figurative penny drop.

“...was it a PR stunt...?”

He questioned suddenly, barely suppressing the hope blooming in his chest. Even though he knew for sure that the time would come when the truth would hurt more than the lies. He felt like a solitary storm-beaten sailor chasing the song of sirens and steering willingly towards his inevitable demise.

But so be it. Raihan had long lost his fragile sense of self-preservation.

Leon looked startled at the question.

“No, I...”

The gym leader visibly deflated. Leon immediately started backpedaling at the sight.

“I mean, in a _sense_ , I guess it is...”

The Champion was startled at the sudden embrace he found himself in. His face flushed even deeper. The encirclement of tanned arms tightened silent around him when he raised an arm, afraid he would try to leave their fragile grasp.

But Leon had never felt this warm and comfortable. He didn’t try to free himself but instead directed his hand towards the silently shivering head of dark hair tickling his cheeks.

Raihan didn’t know what came over him to suddenly jump at his rival. The sense of elation and relief washing over him numbed him to the sparks of embarrassment and worry, what still remained of the logical parts of his mind kept sending him. A hand came to rest softly on his messy hair, carding carefully, almost lovingly - the gym leader found himself imagining - , through the dark strands.

Raihan wished time would stand still at this moment.

Two intertwined silhouettes remained there, well into the darkening evening that day.

The gym leader almost didn’t mind too much when he saw a photo of them plastered across the newspaper next morning. He couldn’t help but smile at the caption.

“ **Champion’s tearful breakup with mysterious lover? Did Leon choose work over love, yet again?** ”

In the picture, you could distinctly make out Leon’s signature cape and messy hair. At some point he had pulled his cap to the side, subtly hiding the person who had wrapped their arms around the Champion.

Raihan sighed.

At least Leon’s PR team got the media attention they wanted and Raihan retained whatever short-lived hope he still held onto for dear life.

At the same time, at another place Leon’s PR team resigned themselves to a sudden week of ceaseless over-time. That boy was gonna be the death of them.

~*~

“...I’m glad you’re always there for Leon, even now.”

Raihan shook himself from his memories, a look of embarrassment at zoning out surfacing on his face. Leon’s Mom looked at him, mischievous smile glinting at her age-worn eyes. She searched his face with a soft, motherly expression resting on her features. After a while she must have found what she’d been looking for.

She stood, brushing imaginary dust off the front of her apron and directed her eyes back towards the horizon.

“Leon’s Dad proposed when we were your age, you know? Don’t keep this old lady waiting for too long, alright?”

She winked before disappearing back in-doors, leaving a very confused, very embarrassed Raihan in her wake. A sharp clatter of plastic hitting stone drew his attention.

Leon now stood in the doorway from which his mother had just left.

And by the looks of it he had heard everything.

_Oh Arceus take him now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked the chapter, please leave a comment with constructive criticism so I can keep improving! :D
> 
> On a different note, you can also comment on and suggest what kind of epilogue you’d wanna read (e.g. their honey moon, 10 years in the future etc.) and I’ll see what I can do and consider maybe writing one. 
> 
> Wavyscribe out.


	7. Firmament of Galar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!
> 
> So like, I guess things happened.  
> And now, the stars are aligned so that this chapter happened.  
> Enjoy! As always, kudos and comments would make me a very happy writer!  
> Happy new year everybody! I hope all of you can realise all your new year aspirations!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.
> 
> PS: Might or might not write a epilogue based on how the constellation of the planets are going to be or something. xD

“I’m _so_ sorry, I swear I didn’t tell her!”

Leon’s voice had a nervous unevenness to it when he gave him a familiar, sheepish smile. He reached up to scratch at the back of his head, resolutely avoiding eye contact.

“She... kinda just found out on her own...”

_Found out about what...?_

“I know that you don’t do the public affection thing and I respect that, I really do...”

_Public... what now?_

“But sometimes it’s hard keeping it in, y’know? It feels like I’m up to here with Butterfrees and I just wanna shout it out for the whole world to hear.”

To emphasise his words, Leon gestured above his head, soft smile stretched wide across his face. As if finally reaching some decision Leon turned his head to peek at Raihan, a warm look of unbridled adoration colouring his dark irises.

“But it’s always been enough for me when you’re here with me. As long as I can see you running right next to me, that’s all I’d ever want.”

The cup of tea the gym leader had been nursing carefully slipped from his grasp, spilling a cascade of chamomile onto the wooden bench.

As if just now realising what he had said without thinking, the former Champion blushed, redness creeping down the collar of his loose shirt.

“I’m sorry, you probably didn’t want to hear that, huh? I don’t know what came over me today, I-”

Leon startled when he lifted his eyes up from the frizzled hem of the cap he had been playing with, finally realising the blank stare the gym leader had been directing at him. His smile froze in place.

The dark-haired felt his heart falling, beating almost deafening against his constricting chest. He fixed Raihan with what he deemed his best non-threatening expression, ears still red-hot from his outburst.

“Uhm... please don’t break up with me...?”

Raihan felt like a world was collapsing in front of him. All the feelings he had, all the emotions he had kept buried under his fragile mask of pride and ambition threatened to burst out like an all-consuming wildfire.

He had no idea what he was supposed to feel right now but one thing was for sure. Rather than just any one defined emotion, a sense of unreality wrapped around his mind almost suffocatingly. As if any moment now his Mum would come wake him up and he’ll go back to the little fledgling flying too close to the sun. The dark-haired felt a splitting headache fast approaching.

“Since when.”

“What do you-?”

“Answer the question, Leon.”

He blushed at Raihan’s tone. Some of the ferocity he’d only seen him display in close matches of trust and skill coloured his rough voice. And - as much as the former Champion tried to - he couldn’t deny that it did some unspeakable things to his stomach.

“I- uhm-... when I asked you out for that match in July?”

“Leon”, Raihan spoke with a sense of calm he didn’t feel, “you ask me for a match every odd week. How was I supposed to _know_...?”

“But I said-, I _did_ -.”

“Leon.”

In stark contrast to just a few minutes ago, the former Champion now looked close to tears, even though it should be Raihan who wanted to cry. Tears of frustration and disbelief, that is. He wiped a hand across his face when Leon looked up to meet his eyes.

 _Why is_ he _the one to look like a kicked puppy right now when it should be the other way ‘round?_

“Leon, listen. I need to go. _Now_.” Any moment longer and Leon’s pretty face would risk permanent disfigurement.

A sliver of surprise flitted across the former Champion’s face at his words.

“Where...?”

Before he could finish a question he himself didn’t fully know how to pose, the dark-haired had disappeared in a rustle of wings.

Leon sat in place for a few minutes, unmoving. Then, slowly, his face settled into a look of determination mirroring his confidence before an evenly matched battle.

Now that it had come to this, what did he even have to lose?

~*~

Entirely anticlimactically, it didn’t take Leon too long to find the dark-haired. In some regards, they knew each other better than they knew themselves.

That’s why he couldn’t fail now. Success was the only option.

Leon settled into the grass next to the crouched figure. Raihan sat, hugging his legs to his chest, looking very small and very unsure of himself. The former champion felt something tugging painfully at his heart at that sight. This was something the gym leader never showed to others, something he hid so deep inside of himself that even Leon sometimes wondered which Raihan was actually the true Raihan.

But right now, he didn’t care about that.

Because every Raihan was someone Leon would gladly spend a lifetime to get to know better.

Raihan didn’t move away. He kept his head low, chin resting softly on top of his knees, eyes gazing into the warmly painted sunset.

They sat in silence until the initially small patch of red had stretched and grown to drape the entire sky in a fiery orange.

Nobody knew who exactly broke the delicate silence. One of them started chuckling softly, in self-deprecation, in regret, in hope. The other soon joined in. And, not a few moments later, they were both laughing whilst holding their stomach, the bright sound echoing into the vast night sky.

The sun had long since set and left a wide expanse of stars in its wake.

“We were idiots, weren’t we?”

A few chuckles accentuated Raihan’s words.

The former Champion answered with his eyes fixed on the starry firmament. The sky was blank but for a few spots of starlight. Just like a journal waiting to be filled with memories.

Now, it was time to turn a new page.

“I love you.”

Raihan chuckled at the dark-haired’s earnest reply.

“I know.”

“What about you?”

Raihan remained silent, basking in the starlight. Then he shrugged. An invisible weight slipped from his shoulder. He felt almost light enough to float all the way to the moon.

“Don’t make me say it.”

Without even looking, Raihan could picture Leon’s drooping puppy ears. He smiled, a pleasant feeling of belonging glimmering in his stomach.

“Take me home, Leon.”

Neither of them moved, silently basking in the gentle nightsky and the irreplaceable presence of each other.

Leon took off his cap, nervously fiddling with the frayed hem. He chuckled when he noticed the familiar habit he had developed.

“You know, people used to ask me why I kept wearing this. Even though, after I became the Champion, I could have had all the brand caps money could buy.”

Raihan didn’t answer but scooted close enough Leon felt the calming heat radiating off of him.

The dark-haired turned his worn cap over to trace his fingertips over crude letters that none of them could read in the dim starlight. But neither of them needed to see the words to know what meaning they held.

“ ‘Champion Leon’ it says,” the former Champion’s voice was deep, trickling into Raihan’s reddening ears like warm honey. At least Leon wouldn’t know what colour they were under the guise of the night.

In the dark, the gym leader felt a warm, callused hand reaching for his, carefully threading their fingers together. Suddenly, the air seemed to have warmed a few degrees. It was a while until either of them spoke again.

“Let’s go home, Raihan.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this short story! 
> 
> If you did, please leave some kudos and comments. Those really do motivate me to keep on going. If there’s something you’d wanna see as an epilogue, please comment about that too and I might just get to writing one. :)
> 
> Thanks for accompanying me on this small journey to Galar! ;)
> 
> Wavyscribe out.


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